Government Operations Committee on June 12th, 2020

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you very much.

I see no other hands raised.

What we have then, colleagues, in front of us is two separate proposals, if I am interpreting things correctly. Mr. McCauley has suggested that next Friday, June 19, we would bring the Information Commissioner and other witnesses to meet in our regularly scheduled time.

Furthermore the second proposal would be that we have two additional meetings sometime during the summer, dates yet to be determined, that would be in alignment with the special sittings of the COVID-19 committee in July and August. We can wait until we find out exactly what weeks or what days that committee will be sitting in both July and August, and we can then recall this committee to meet sometime within a day or two of those sessions to try to maximize the efficiency of having the parliamentary sitting and our committee.

Mr. Clerk, I believe those are the two proposals we have.

I also believe we have to have a recorded division on both of them. I wonder if you can take those comments, suggestions that we've just heard, formulate them into some form of a cohesive proposal or motion and allow us to record the votes on both.

[The Clerk]

Thank you, Mr. Chair.

First of all, Ms. Romanado wanted to intervene.

Also, as a clarification, the special committee COVI will cease to exist on the 17 June. The sittings that Mr. McCauley was referring to during the summer I believe were actually sittings of the House of Commons.

One option could be—and my apologies, Ms. Romanado, but I will just finish—for the committee to agree to have one meeting in July and one meeting in August to be scheduled by the chair. Then we can figure out the best dates, but that is just an option the committee may want to consider.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Certainly. As I was saying, dates are yet to be determined, but that would be the intent.

Madam Romanado.

[Sherry Romanado, Liberal, Longueuil—Charles-LeMoyne, QC]

Thank you very much, Mr. Chair.

I just wanted to mention that I know that other committees are doing the same thing. They are identifying the weeks that the House will be sitting: July 8 and 22 and August 12 and 26. In terms of planning, a few committees are starting to do the exact same thing, so for the sake of getting your slot in, I would recommend that if you're going select dates, you do that sooner rather than later.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

That's certainly a good suggestion. We will do that.

As Paul mentioned, the approach I would take is that once we have the dates when the sittings of the House will be taking place, I as chair will then make a call to reconvene this committee on those two dates, one meeting in July and one meeting in August.

Paul, would you formulate the motions and put them to the committee for a recorded division?

[The Clerk]

The first is Mr. McCauley's proposal: That the committee invite the Information Commissioner and other witnesses to appear before it on June 19, 2020.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 10; nays 0 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Clerk]

I would formulate the second motion as this: That the committee meet during the month of July and the month of August 2020, if possible during weeks when the House of Commons is scheduled to sit, at the discretion of the chair.

Does that make sense?

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

It makes sense to me, Paul, yes.

Let's hear the comments from Mr. MacKinnon and Mr. Jowhari before we do the vote.

Mr. MacKinnon.

[Steven MacKinnon, Liberal, Gatineau, QC]

I would like to clarify one thing. You didn't say "two meetings", but it's a total of two meetings.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

It's a total of two, that is correct.

Mr. Jowhari.

[Majid Jowhari, Liberal, Richmond Hill, ON]

I had the same intervention. Thank you, Mr. Chair.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you.

Paul, let's go ahead with the roll call vote.

(Motion agreed to: yeas 10; nays 0 [See Minutes of Proceedings])

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

Thank you very much, Paul.

Colleagues, that terminates this meeting. I remind you that our next scheduled meeting of OGGO is next Tuesday at 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Mr. Clerk, please go ahead.

[The Clerk]

I have just one clarification, Mr. Chair.

If members do have suggestions for the other witnesses to be invited for June 19, I would appreciate receiving those sooner rather than later so that I may contact the witnesses.

Thank you.

[The Chair, Conservative, Tom Lukiwski]

We're always willing to make your job easier, Paul.

Thank you, colleagues. Have a great, healthy and safe weekend. We will see you next Tuesday.

We are adjourned.